Remembrance
by Lily meet Ginny
Summary: Drabbles for the Big/Lil Sister Competition. Co-written with Empress Empoleon.
1. A Prelude

Written by my big, Empress Empoleon, for the Big/Little competition, week two.

_"It's always easier to say good-bye when you know it's just a prelude to hello." -Maureen Johnson._

Teddy didn't want to leave James.

True, they were only two years apart, and he would come home for the holidays, but that was still two years in school without him, and being without James was like living without air.

James was his best friend. He had always been around from an early ag"e, and he was the only one who understood him. Teddy wouldn't last a minute in Hogwarts, all cold and alone and friendless.

How could he say goodbye?

"Lucky," James groaned for the thousandth time as Teddy pulled his trunk along the platform. "It's not fair that you get to go to Hogwarts without me."

"It's not like I want to," Teddy reminded him. "I'll be all alone. I won't know anyone."

James sighed, stopping in front of him to look him in the eye. "Look, mate: I'm going to miss you. But that doesn't mean you're allowed to waste your time missing me."

Teddy gulped, looking the boy head-on. James had no idea, did he?

"You'll be home for Christmas, and you'll write letters," James continued. Teddy focused on the floor, the train, the people; anyone but James.

"Plus, I'll be there in two years!" James exclaimed. "I will be there, so this goodbye is really only like a pre-hello!"

Teddy chuckled, patting James on the head. "If you say so." James always knew how to cheer him up.

A slight frown crossed his face. Who would be the sunshine on his rainy day now?

James sighed, a brief bittersweet look crossing his face. "Remember that you've got a big heart, and there's lots of space in your heart. You can make room for other people, can't you?"

Teddy shook his head, his voice not working. "You're enough to fill me up."

"Stupid Teddy. Don't you know I love you too?" A quick peck on the cheek, and he was gone, weaving through crowds and out of sight.

Teddy sighed, smiling softly and running a hand through his hair, his fingers brushing over the spot where James's lips had been a second ago. He wasn't sure whether James loved him like cousins should, or how Teddy loved him, but, wasn't any love from James good enough?

He set off toward the train, still smiling. James might have been the owner of his heart, but he could always accommodate a few more people.


	2. Forgotten Remembered

Remus sat there with a careful eye trained on Sirius. He'd been so caught up in the hype of Sirius being alive that he'd missed that his best friend was suffering. He was essentially a prisoner in his own house, and Remus hadn't made it any better by advertising his own freedom at the Order meetings. He decided that it was time to change this, and what better way to do it than by bringing back the marauders?

Late that night, he snuck up the stairs to Sirius's room. Molly had taken her brood to bed long before; no one would notice anything until long after it happened. He quietly opened the door to Sirius's room, only to find a wand pointed at his face.

"It's me," Remus hissed, and the wand lowered.

Sirius was sitting at the desk next to Buckbeak, looking at him adamentally.

"What do you want?" he sulked.

"Get dressed," Remus hissed. "We're giving out."

Less than fifteen minutes later, they were flying out on Buckbeak. Sirius whooped with glee as Remus clung to Buckbeak's feathers for dear life. Werewolves were NOT meant to fly.

A dozen drinks, several numbers, and one peed on fire hydrant later, they were making the same trip back. Sirius could barely fly straight and Remus was too inebriated to mind the ride back.

"I'd forgotten how much fun this was," Sirius said, laughing as they rode buck beak back to the rather dilapidated house. "Best. Night. Ever. Even better than our seventh year prank."

Remus laughed. He'd forgotten about their final prank. It had been executed perfectly; however, their prank of cosmetic charms linked to any guy wearing hair products paled in comparison to their night. Convincing the police man they'd unfortunately ran into that Buckbeak was a seeing eye ostrich had been the highlight of the night. Getting that same officer to party with them was simply the icing on the cake. It was the first time Remus had seen any life come back into Sirius. He was reminded of the man that Sirius had been before prison and he was happy to see that again.

As they crawled back to their rooms before the sun or anyone else in the house stirred, Remus grinned widely.

"Let's do that again," he promised. And Remus knew he would. He'd give anything to see his last friend that happy again.

Written for the Big/Little Sister competition, week two. Prompts Remus/Sirius, forgotten


	3. Eyes

Written by my big, Empress Empoleon.

"You have your mother's eyes, Harry."

So many had already said it, and now James would too. His son was him reborn - the same mop of hair, mischievous glint - but his eyes would forever be the striking emerald only Lily Potter had.

When he was born into the world, he looked like a miniature James. Nobody would have thought Lily was his mother...until he opened his jade eyes and wailed.

He liked to think that there was some of both of them inside of Harry - her eyes, his everything-else. It made them feel complete...whole.

So when James held Harry in his arms, he felt like he had rejoined two parts of himself together again.

"James, why are you crying?"

"He has your eyes, Lily."

"I know. That's what makes him a bit of both of us."


	4. Love the One You Hold

He was a lover of the light; she preferred the night. His days revolved around quidditch and hanging out with his friends. She preferred nighttime and the endless hours in the library. He knew it was for different reasons than anyone expected. She was muggleborn and had hopes of improving the world she saw. She devoured book after book to find enough to make her dreams a reality. She was the only one who really understood that he lived for the times he spent flying. So many people expected him to live in the library because he was a prefect. so many expected him to do something suitably heroic. She never did. Not once. If anything, she was stronger for him. She came out with him quite often, sitting in the stands with a book as he flew around, letting his toes skim the ground. He knew from the glances he snuck her way that she wasn't really studying, just watching him. She had seen the grins on his face with every dive he executed and knew his secret.

Perceptions were the reason they were able to stay undercover for so long. After all, who would expect Miss-goody-two-shoes to be dating the-guy-who-escaped-by-the-hair-on-his-chinny-chin -chin? While everyone was expecting him to make a move on one of them or take back up with his ex, he was canoodling with her in an abandoned classroom. Every meal, they expected him to go sit with some girl or another. He never did. However, he snuck off to the kitchens with her for the evening dessert. Who would have expected the dentists' daughter to have such a sweet tooth? Who would have expected him to be sweet on her? At first, he wondered if she simply craved the company, much as he craved the normalcy. She didn't judge him, she didn't pester him with questions, and she never asked him what it was like to be friends with harry potter, though that one was a bit of a moot point. He had known she was a keeper the moment she had seen his scar. He'd caught some debris in the graveyard; they'd torn him up pretty badly. He had so many pieces of shrapnel from that darn headstone lodged in his chest and around his lungs that Madame Pompfrey couldn't heal him quickly. He'd spent two long weeks in St. Mungo's. He'd been left with a rather nasty scar- one the Hogwart's population felt entitled to see. He'd shown it to her in private, but she didn't bat an eye. She simply put her fingertips lightly over it and looked up at him solemnly. "They make scar removers in the Muggle world, you know?" she told him softly. "But I don't think it's that bad. It's proof you survived." That was the first night he'd kissed her. And amazingly, wonderfully, she'd kissed him back.

He'd gone back for her sixth year. The war was progressing, and he had been recruited by Flitwick to work on a charm's mastery. He would be helping to teach the younger years defense, but more importantly, he had her back. He would protect her each and every day. He had to. The night of the invasion, he learned he didn't need to. She was fully capable of taking care of herself, with a style that impressed him. They were truly equals in every way. That night, as they both patched up various cuts and scrapes, he asked her to marry him. Not immediately, he reassured her. He just wanted to have a future to look forward to now that their worlds was so dark.

That year, he sent off the younger years with the knowledge that more of them would be able to protect themselves. While she hunted Horcruxes, he protected the kids. He fought every battle and smuggled out as many kids as he could. Then he found out the Death Eaters had hurt her. He took no more prisoners. Every one he let get away could hurt her. He didn't care if they lived or died, as long as they wouldn't be able to use a wand.

He saw her the night of the final battle. They had each seen their own shares of horrors, but it was finally over. He held her all night and smiled.

Less than a year later, he was watching her walk down the aisle. He remembered all of the good and bad, all that had brought them together. No one could hold a candle to her then, and no one could now. He loved her fervently. As Cedric pulled back Hermione's veil, he could see every bit of his life entertained with hers. Past, present, and future. "I do."

Prompts: candle, Lover of the Light by Mumford and Sons


End file.
